Lead threading device for lamp basing apparatus



Nov. 22, 1966 E. BASTIAANSE LEAD THREADING DEVICE FOR LAMP BASINGAPPARATUS Filed Aug. 2, 1962 INVENTOR ERNST BASTIAANSE AGEN UnitedStates Patent 3,286,323 LEAD THREADING DEVICE FOR LAMP BASING APPARATUSErnst Bastiaanse, Emmasingel, Eindhoven, Netherlands,

assignor to North American Philips Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., acorporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 214,284

Claims priority, applicatgzn lgletherlands, Aug. 28, 1961,

3 Claims. (31. 29-2519 The invention relates to a method of threadingone or more current supply leads of an electric filament lamp ordischarge tube through one or more associated apertures in a cap for thesaid lamp or tube with the aid of guidepins in which method the cap isplaced on the guide pins, the current supply leads are inserted into theguide pins and subsequently the cap is slipped over the neck of the lampor tube over the leads which are aligned by the guide pins. Such amethod is known.

In another known method the end of each current supply lead is brought,with the aid of a funnel-shaped member, substantially into thelongitudinal axis of the funnel and then is axially passed through thefunnel. Thus the leads are aligned in the funnel and, when threadedthrough the funnel are disposed in the guide pins which register withthe part of the funnel having the smallest diameter.

The use of a funnel-shaped member for centering the leads may havedisadvantages, particularly when the leads protruding from the lamp ortube have small diameters. The funnel must necessarily be split so thatunder certain circumstances the wires may find their way between thefaces of the funnel parts and cannot readily be inserted into the guidepins.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method in whichaligning and centering of the wires and the guide pins is simplified andthe above-mentioned difficulty is overcome.

The method in accordance with the invention is characterized in that theleads are inserted into the guide pins by bringing the leads and theguide pins closely together, centering the free facing ends of the leadsand the guide pins with respect to one another and subsequently slippingthe guide pins axially on the ends of the associated leads. In thismethod the leads are preferably centered with respect to the guide pinsafter they have been brought closely together. After the centeringprocess the guide pins are slipped on the free ends of the leads.

According to a further embodiment of the method in accordance with theinvention the ends of the current supply leads are cut to the requiredlength before the leads and the guide pins are brought closely together.This enables the leads and the guide pins to be brought closely togetherbefore they are centered with respect to one another.

An apparatus for carrying out the method in accordance with theinvention which is provided with a holder for a lamp or tube, with asecond holder for a cap, which second holder is displaceable withrespect to the first holder, and with at least one guiding pin which isdisplaceable with respect to the two holders, is characterized in thatit is provided with one pair of pliers for centering the facing freeends of the leads and the guide pins with respect to one another afterthey have been brought closely together. The pliers thereafter whenclosed centers the guide pins with respect to the leads so as to beaxially displaceable. In a particular embodiment the pliers are adaptedto align and to center the leads at least at two points. Such a pair ofpliers enables the free ends of the leads to be centered so that thelongitudinal axis of the free end of a lead when centered substantiallycoincides with the longitudinal axis of the associated guide pin. Thecentering point of each lead nearer or nearest the free end thereof ispreferably spaced from the said free end by a distance of about 1 mm.

According to a final embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with theinvention the guide pins are made of solid material, each guide pinbeing provided in its end face facing the leads of the lamp or tube witha cavity of slight depth.

In order that the invention may readily be carried into effect, anembodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show successive stages of the method in accordancewith the invention, and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are a plan view and a sectional view taken along the lineVIVI of FIG. 5 respectively of the construction of a pair of pliers forcommon centering of the current supply leads projecting from a filamentlamp and of the guide pins after they have been brought closelytogether.

An evacuated and sealed electric filament lamp 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4has two thin flexible current supply leads 3 and 4. A cap 2 havingapertures 5 and 6 in its bottom is to be mounted on the lamp. For thesake of clarity the leads and the apertures are shown with exaggeratedwidth.

To thread the flexible current supply leads 3 and 4 through the cap 2known guide pins 11 and 12 may be used which are displaceable withrespect to the lamp 1. These guide pins are displaced from an initialposition shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2 in which theyare in close proximity to the leads 3 and 4 which have preivously beencut to the desired length. A pair of pliers 15 shown diagrammatically isthen closed about the facing free ends of the leads 3 and 4 and of theguide pins 11 and 12 (FIG. 3). These pliers align and center the leads 3and 4 according to arrows 16 and 17. Simultaneously the free ends of theguide pins 11 and 12 are aligned and centered according to arrows 18 bythe same pliers.

In the closed position of the pliers 15 the guide pins 11 and 12 areslipped on the ends of the leads 3 and 4. Then the pliers are opened,permitting the cap 2 to be moved into engagement with the lamp 2 in theusual manner over the guide pins 11 and 12 and the leads 3 and 4 (FIG.4).

The pliers 15 have the shape shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. They comprise twoparts 22 and 23 adapted to pivot about spindles 20 and 21.

The part 22 comprises parts 43 and 44 connected together by bolts 42.The part 43 is provided with two crenate flanges 24 and 25. The part 44is provided with a crenate flange 26. The part 44 has a non-crenate part27 adjacent the flange 26. The said part 27 has a straight edgeindicated by 46 in FIG. 5.

The part 23 has flanges 28, 40 and 29 connected together by bolts 49 andeach provided with a straight edge 30, 41 and 31 respectively.

When the pliers are closed the free ends of the leads 3 and 4 protrudingfrom the lamp are aligned between the flanks 33 and 34 of the flanges 24and 25 and the straight edges 30 and 41 of the flanges 28 and 40. Theends of the leads are finally centered at several pointsalong theirlength.

Similarly by closing the pliers the ends of the guide pins 11 and 12facing the leads 3 and 4 are aligned and centered. In this aligning andcentering process the edge 46 of the part 44 acts as a stop abutment forthe edge 31 of the flange 29. The plier parts 22 and 23 are adapted topivot towards each other through an angle defined by the abutment edge46. The arrangement further is such that when the pliers 22, 23 areclosed the guide pins 11 and 12 are accommodated between the flanks 47and 48 and the edge 31 of the flange 29 engaging the abutment stop 46but are not clamped thereby. Hence they are centered while beingdisplaceable. Similarly in the closed position of the pliers the wires 3and 4 are accommodated between the edges 30, 41 of the flanges 28, 40and the flanks 33, 34 of the part 43 but are not clamped thereby.

When the pliers 22, 23 are closed the free ends of the leads 3 and 4 andof the guide pins 11 and 12 are in the positions shown in FIG. 6. Byaxially displacing the guide pins through the closed pliers the saidmembers, which have recesses 51 in their end faces, may he slipped onthe ends 52 of the leads 3 and 4. After the pliers have been opened theends 52 of the leads 3 and 4 remain in the said recesses, and the cap 2is then moved until it occupies the position shown in FIG. 4.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for threading at least one current supply lead of a lampthrough an associated aperture in a cap to be mounted on the lamp neckcomprising a holder for said cap having at least one guide pin thereinadapted to pass through said aperture, said holder being displaceable inthe direction of the current supply lead, a pair of pliers for axiallyaligning the facing free ends of the current supply lead and guide pinwhen the same have been located close to each other, means for axiallydisplacing said guide pin in said pliers relative to said current supplyin claim 1 wherein said pliers when closed aligns and centers the leadand guide pin along a line extending in the direction of the length ofsaid lead and guide pin.

3. A device for threading at least one current supply lead of a lampthrough an associated aperture as claimed in claim 1 wherein said meanson the free end of said guide pin is a shallow cavity into which thefree end of the lead is inserted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,612,537 12/1926Schroeder 2925.19 2,349,956 5/1944- Gliss et a1. 29-2519 2,536,6771/1951 Brunne-r et a1. 29-1555 2,915,807 12/1959 Paulson 2925.192,993,262 7/1961 Ross et a1 29-1555 CHARLIE T. MOON, Primary Examiner.

JOHN F. CAMPBELL, I. W. BOCK, W. I. BROOKS,

Assistant Examiners.

1. A DEVICE FOR THREADING AT LEAST ONE CURRENT SUPPLY LEAD OF A LAMPTHROUGH AN ASSOCIATED APERTURE IN A CAP TP BE MOUNTED ON THE LAMP NECKCOMPRISING A HOLDER FOR SAID CAP HAVING AT LEAST ONE GUIDE PIN THEREINADAPTED TO PASS THROUGH SAID APERTURE, SAID HOLDER BEING DISPLACEABLE INTHE DIRECTION OF THE CURRENT SUPPLY LEAD, A PAIR OF PLIERS FOR AXIALLYALIGNING THE FACING FREE ENDS OF THE CURRENT SUPPLY LEAD AND GUIDE PINWHEN THE SAME HAVE BEEN LOCATED CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, MEANS FOR AXIALLYDISPLACING SAID GUIDE PIN IN SAID PLIERS RELATIVE TO SAID CURRENT SUPPLYLEAD, AND MEANS ON THE FREE END OF SAID GUIDE PIN ADAPTED TO BECOACTIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CURRENT SUPPLY LEAD BY SAID AXIALDISPLACEMENT FOR THEREAFTER GUIDING SAID CURRENT SUPPLY LEAD THROUGH THEAPERTURE IN SAID LAMP CAP WHEREBY THE CAP IS SLIPPED ON THE NECK OF SAIDLAMP OVER SAID CURRENT SUPPLY LEAD ALIGNED BY SAID GUIDE PIN.